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I'm surprised that you have such problems when planting out beans from roottrainers. I have grown them this way for many years, more recently in Containerwise deep cells but much the same thing.

I'm wondering whether the problem is something other than root disturbance. How far advanced are the beans when you plant them out? Have they been in their cells for too long and formed too congested a root system?
Or could you be over-watering? Yellowing leaves sometimes suggest over-watering and, although runner beans like a lot of water, French beans don't like to be too saturated.
Or too rich a soil? I've discovered over the years that French beans don't need a heavily enriched soil and think I might have lost some due to too much manure in the soil.

Sorry, I have no experience of using biodegradable pots but do feel that they shouldn't be necessary and that the problem is more likely to lie elsewhere.

Over the last few years I've struggling getting runner and climbing French beans to survive when planting out. Often only half of them survive and the others clearly have a setback with yellowing leaves. I usually grow them in RootTrainers to avoid root disturbance as I know they don't like it and am careful about planting them out well after the risk of frost in my area and always water them well after planting.
I've tried many times sowing them direct in good quality soil in raised beds but they never come up (?pests) even though the soil temperature is OK.
I am thinking of trying sowing them in a biodegradable pot then planting this in the soil but looking at the time for some of the products they are made of to degrade they degrade fairly slowly i.e. in a period of months. I would want the roots to spread out of the pot in a period of weeks not months otherwise growth would be restricted.
Anyone had any experience of using these for beans (or peas) or any other suggestions.

I'm sorry you didn't have more success either Ruud's older seeds, Garrett. But it's great to have your list of hopefuls for the seed circle.

I haven't got a list yet but, like you, hoping to contribute a pepper or two. I grow peppers in soil in my polytunnel and then the only way to be sure of true seed is to bag flowers. But early on, while they're still growing in pots, I've been able to put a couple of varieties, just before the flowers open, on window sills in separate rooms. One of these is Champion (CAP 334). I had 2019 seed from the South Lincs Chilli Boys who had just disbanded. This was the last seed and two germinated. It's an interestingly bell shaped mild pepper and I'm hoping that the developing fruit I now have will produce enough good seed to share. The photo is of an unripe pepper from last time I grew it

 

I also have bad news about the old seeds. I set everything I received to chit in damp kitchen roll in the propagator, but I didn't have any luck. Nothing showed signs of germination and eventually all rotted. Sorry I didn't get any results.

On the positive, I have a provisional list for this year:

Sweet pepper Lipstick
Tomato De Barao Black
Tomato India Stripe
Tomato Yellow Clementine
Dwarf tomato Whippersnapper
Dwarf tomato Velvet Night
Dwarf french bean Deuil Fin Précoce

I'm sure there will be other things, but these are the ones I'm most confident are growing well and will provide sufficient seed for sharing. There are other edibles I'll add if they're successful, plus some flowers.

It has been a challenging year so far with the weather, but at least everything is planted out now and growing on.

Unfortunately none of the c maxima older seeds made it here, which is a pity.  But thank you for the try Ruud. 

Ruud, you asked a little while ago about how any seed circle members got on with your the older seeds you sent. I ended up with quite a lot as I had a go with any that were left when other members had had the ones they wanted. So these are the ones which have successfully germinated for me.

Pepper - Explosive Ember
Tomato - Ince Kabuk
Bean - Blue Victor
Melon - Dino                                                                               
Squash - Butterkin, Muskaat, Jack-Be-Little, Gelber Englischer Custard, Strie Melange

I started all the seeds I had on damp kitchen paper in a plastic box in a warm place, and inspected them everyday to see what had germinated. The squash were the ones with the greatest success, the last two being pattypan type, but any seed springing into life is a happy thing!

Thank you for sending these and for caring enough to want to save them.

not used but just been recommended this one which seams good https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/seedstosuit.co.uk

Sorry for the silence guys been a mad few months as company i was working for went bust owing me 6 months pay and i have been dealing with that and job hunting..

Anyway greenhouse is packed with tomatoes, aubergines, peppers. I have my spare courgette in there as the 2 i planted in the garden are not doing as well suspect its because ones planted with the peas and one with the beans and there a but hungry. I also have a chunk of kitchen ginger planted up in the hope it grows at it had a little shoot on. Probably about 2 weeks away from first tomatoes.

Hi All,

I have let life get on top of me in the last few months and i am trying to make sense of things. Decided to use AI a little like i would when asked Husband questions or to help organise the information in my head. I have 2 main AI projects on the go (they will link eventually).

1. Used app called pantry check to do a complete inventory of the food in the house as i needed to purge things that i would not eat anymore and things that were his that i had not donated. I have a working list of things were eating and things we used to eat that i have just not been cooking (lack of energy and motivation after last big MS relapse). And Ai (copilot) is meal planning for me rotating stock and i am using this to try and remember to eat and eat a little more balanced meal. Doing this week by week however i will move to monthly plans eventually.
2. I have catalogued what i have planted where in my 4 big planters and in the greenhouse and i have asked Ai (Copilot) to do a rotation plan for me based on what i have found worked and whats not worked and the crops i want. What its actually generated i more like a little gardening book i am putting into onenote as a working manual i can run with.

Eventually once i have 2 working better this will feed into 1 :) which will give me a reset that i can work with. I am nervous about using Ai so i am being very careful about what i am sharing but i think this is safe enough. My planters are starting to fall apart and i am trying to decide if i am justified in replacing them or not bothering to grow any more.

Has anyone else used Ai in this way??

Do you have a rotation plan written down to follow or do you wing it?

Sending you all hugs

Cam

The peas and beans are fine and starting to pod up....